They refused to sign a document claiming an emergency landing. Russia Today said those refusing were beaten.

"Turkish F-16 warplanes forced the Syrian plane to land to be searched, doing so in violation of the international procedures in terms of not formerly notifying neither its pilot nor the Turkish civil airline, which almost caused an air accident due to warplanes coming close at an uncalculated distance," said Abdullatif.

No illegal cargo was onboard. Nothing was found. Passengers are safe but shaken. Abdullatif said Ankara committed "an inhumane act."

"Added to that, the long hours during which the passengers were locked without being provided (food or) any services or even informed of what was going on, which left them in a state of panic and a very bad psychological condition."

Turkey never informed Moscow about Russian passengers. Media reports provided information. A Foreign Ministry statement said what happened was "in violation of the bilateral consular agreements." It wants no further provocations.

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A high-ranking Russian weapons export institution source said no weapons or military technology was onboard. At the same time he added:

"Russia has not halted its cooperation in the field of military technologies with Syria and will provide Syria with any type of military technologies in case of need according to the rules followed and not secretly, particularly via a passenger plane."